Just thought I'd say hello in here as hopefully soon we'll be proud owners of a ZB Varitone.

Having had a good read through the various thread in this section of the site I can see it's a veritable gold mine of information.

There's a few things that I've got in mind to make the Varitone more suited for every(summer)day usage such as an upgrade to the brakes and then subsequently the engine and box, no doubt with loads of questions on the way.

I've been lucky enough to first own an MG 27 years ago, actually starting with a 1984 MG Metro, swiftly followed by my first Midget. We've currently got 3 Midgets two of them race cars, one of which replaced my first Midget which had evolved to be my first race car which was destroyed a couple of years ago when a friend was competing in it and had a major accident. He replaced that car with a much better one which we rebuilt to the grey one that you can see on my vehicle profile.

I've got a road legal Midget (the blue one) that I built 19 years ago, sold it when our eldest son was 18 months old then saw it on ebay and managed to buy it back 7 years ago and which is about to have it's second restoration in our hands.

A couple of years ago I bought another Midget, ironically to replace the blue one, but this went on the back burner when we got the blue one back, this is now being built as a Junior race car for my two lads to start competing in when they are old enough.

I also bought a Jubilee BGT (the green and gold one) before the blue Midget as my wife and I had a Jubilee before we had kids, actually we sold that one to buy the Blue Midget. Anyway the second Jubilee was my everyday car up until two years ago when the dreaded rust claimed another victim and we recently decided that even though it's one of only a couple of hundred left it simply wasn't worth spending a five figure sum restoring it back to the condition I'd want it to be in.

Hence why I'm now here. We've always had a hankering for a Magnette and after my Mother died she left me with some inheritance and I thought it would be nice to get something that we can cherish and look after for many years to come, so we've agreed to buy the one that you can see in the photo below.

It needs some work doing it it on the body which we'll endeavour to get done over the next couple of years, but in the meanwhile (after we've had a servo or booster fitted) I intend to use it to get familiar with it and then determine what I want to do to improve it along the way.

As you can see, MG's have played a big part in the last 27 years of my life and I look forward to them playing an equally big part of it for a long time yet.

Andrew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2012 02:26PM by racedriver.

Hi Andrew

Welcome to the Magnette World and a great bunch of Guys and Gals, your car looks very usable and with the brakes and engine mods it will keep up comfortably with modern traffic.

The MG Car Club Magnette Register is a useful source of information and if you check out the website a great deal of activity takes place, we look forward to seeing you at the various functions through out the year if you can find the time.

Any problems someone will always be on hand to help, just ask.

Again welcome I am sure I speak for everyone
Kind regards
Trevor Jones

Very cool and welcome!

Oh and I forgot to say I've been a member of the MG Car Club for 28 years.

I've not joined the register yet as we haven't got the car as yet, when it's safely in our possession I will send all the details through because I've had a good look through the gallery and can't see the car there so it looks like it could be new to the register.

I've been reading loads and loads of stuff about them, some if it confusing and some of it inspiring. I've already spent some magnette money on ebay getting a workshop manual (I just love period publications), an old stock brand new locking exterior door handle and a couple of varitone models.

I'm tempted to jump straight in with the brake kit from NTG, but want to see how the servo improves it before we jump that far.

I'm hoping that we can take the car to MG Live at Silverstone in June. Well actually I won't be taking it as we'll be in the Motorhome towing the race Midget down as I'll also be competing in the Sprite Midget race. So I'll be letting my mate (who trashed my previous race car) take it down for me.... trusting aren't !

So hope to meet up with some Magnetteers then (and finally get to park in the Magnette Register).

Andrew

Andrew-
Welcome to the proper cars side!
That is an especially nice colour combo, love it (as well as your racing car colours).
Servo not much use, I think. Magnette brakes work fine if in good shape, the only problem being fade on hard use, which servo isn't going to help at all. (I used to run mine out of brakes pretty often, when at play!) Lining upgrades are very useful, standard replacements are pretty bad, at least over here.
Front swaybar is your best single investment.
Decent exhaust next.

FRM

If you are contemplating the disc brake kit from NTG, then it is a worthwhile investment (disc brakes, I know nothing of the kit). If you have a race spridget I expect you'll be wanting better brakes.

Interesting two-tone... nicely done.

We can collect the car on the 12th May when after the servo has been fitted and the brakes overhauled.

Hope these two weeks fly by.

A

Andrew, welcome to the uppa crust of MG owners. Two people you should come to know are John and Lou Shorten, they have MG Specialists, and are the ultimate source for Magnette parts, supplies, and information and are a unique asset.

http://www.mgspecs.co.uk/cust_comments.htm

Your parts from NTG most likely came from Lou. They are very interesting and entertaining and what they know more about Magnettes than anyone.

I have talked to Lou a few times, then was able to meet het at our GT35 here in the States. She helped me push the Magnette off the trailer when we got there. Wonderful folks.